Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which can perform output with color adapted to a color profile, an image forming method and a computer readable recording medium storing an image forming control program.
Description of the Related Art
When printing is performed at an image forming apparatus, typically, an image is formed using an output profile adapted to the apparatus or a general-purpose output profile. Meanwhile, there is a request for performing printing using target color requested by a user or standard target color. In response to such a request, a target color profile targeted for printing is acquired, and color of an image which is desired to be printed is converted based on the target color profile, so that printing can be performed using an output profile of the image forming apparatus.
For example, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-246722, even when image quality requested by a customer is not explicit, a printed matter with optimal balance of quality, cost and delivery date can be provided according to a request from the customer. An image quality index indicating quality of the printed matter with a numerical value and evaluation by the customer are registered in a history database in association with each other, so that printing is performed while an optimal printer is selected.
Meanwhile, an image quality level sometimes depends on paper, for example, depends on a type of paper, basis weight, or the like. For example, even a high image quality level which cannot be realized using plain paper can be realized using coated paper of higher quality than that of the plain paper. The user desires to select paper with which a desired image quality level can be realized. Further, the user also desires to know a degree of color precision on the printed paper.
However, with the conventional image forming apparatus, because relevance between an image quality level and paper is not taken into account, it is difficult to select appropriate paper according to the image quality level, and it is impossible to know a degree of color precision on the printed paper. While, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-246722, a printer can be selected based on image quality, or the like, it does not take into account printing at a desired quality level at the image forming apparatus.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and is intended to provide an image forming apparatus which enables printing adapted to a target color profile to be performed according to property of a transfer medium, an image forming method and a computer readable recording medium storing an image forming control program.